Dental implants have revolutionized dental care, offering a solution for patients who have lost their natural teeth. However, the dental implants we’re familiar with today are a result of centuries of progression in dental care. In fact, their history traces back as far as human civilization itself. Miami Designer Smiles is here to walk you through the fascinating evolution of dental implants from past to present and highlight the roles of Dr. Concepcion Sanchez-Garcia and Dr. Raul Garcia in harnessing these advancements to provide top-notch dental care to the locals of Miami, Florida.
Early Beginnings of Dental Implants
Dental implants were not always as sophisticated as we see today in clinics such as Miami Designer Smiles. Ancient civilizations made attempts to replace missing teeth, though using quite primitive methods.
The Egyptians
The first known use of dental implants traces back to the ancient Egyptians. They valued beauty and made painstaking efforts to preserve the bodies of the deceased—teeth included.
The Mayans and Honduras
Around 600 AD, the Mayans began an interesting practice—inserting seashells into the jawbones of deceased individuals to mimic teeth. It was the closest thing to modern dental implants of their time.
The Middle Ages: Continued Experimentation
The Middle Ages saw continued trial and error in dental implants, with varying degrees of success.
The Celts
The Celts experimented with inserting animal teeth into human jaws—a practice not recommended today.
18th Century Europe
In Europe, varying techniques were experimented with, including gold wire implants, to little success.
Bringing Dental Implants into the Modern Age: 20th Century Onwards
The medical field made significant strides in understanding the interaction between implants and bone tissue in the 20th century.
1950s
The ’50s brought titanium into the mix—an element well-known today for its role in modern dental implants.
1960s
By the mid-sixties, Swedish researcher Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered purely by chance that titanium had the unique ability to bond with bone. This serendipitous discovery revolutionized the field of dental implants, leading to the term “osseointegration.”
1970s – Present
From the ’70s onwards, development has been swift and groundbreaking. Today, Miami Designer Smiles uses dental implants that are in many ways a combination of modern and traditional techniques—with implants designed to harmoniously integrate with a patient’s body, allowing them to eat, talk, and smile confidently.
At Miami Designer Smiles, Dr. Concepcion Sanchez-Garcia and Dr. Raul Garcia are proud to offer state-of-the-art dental implants that represent the culmination of thousands of years of progress. They’re certain that the rapid evolution of dental implants will continue to bring even better options for their patients in the future.
Conclusion: From Past to Present
The journey of dental implants from the past to the modern era provides a fascinating window into the evolution of dental care. It stands as proof that humans have always been innovating to improve their quality of life, aesthetics, and societal norms. Dental implants have come a long way, and Miami Designer Smiles is thrilled to be a part of this ongoing evolution.